The Minister's Black Veil By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Summary: The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne is about a minister who decides to wear a black veil on his face for his entire life. The people of his town do not know why he does wear his veil, but they act different towards him.

Characters:

Mr. Hooper - minister that decides to wear a veil in front of his face

Elizabeth - Mr. Hooper's wife; she tries to get him to stop wearing the veil, she leaves him when he doesn't

Mr. Clark - tries to get Hooper to remove his veil before death

Section One:

  • The town is happily coming to church; they see Hooper and everyone becomes sober
  • People are confused as to why Hooper is wearing the veil, some are scared, some curious; some believe he has done something wrong and is ashamed of showing his face
  • The people start to feel uncomfortable around Hooper, it is something they sense but cannot put a name to it
  • Elizabeth tries to get Hooper to take off the veil, he tells her he will not in mortal life;
  • Elizabeth tells Hooper she cannot be with him if he wears the veil; Hooper says it is not for eternity just mortal life; she leaves him
  • People come to look at Hooper as being a tortured soul but one that understands them; many will cry for him to come when they are on their deathbeds to confess sins
  • It seems Hooper is wearing the veil to make a point that everyone has something to hide; the veil makes people think of their own sins
  • Hooper is about to die, he still will not take off the veil even after another minister has asked him to remove it; Hooper claims that everyone is wearing a veil, only his is visible;
  • Hooper is buried with his veil on

Other Notes:

  • The wedding Hooper attends becomes very dark, people look at it as a bad omen
  • It seems Hooper is death living; there to remind people that death is always waiting for them; "the minister and the maiden's spirit were walking hand in hand"
  • No one wants to ask Hooper about his veil because they are scared of it; Elizabeth understands the veil separates Hooper from normal moral life; it is there to remind people that the eternal life is the important one and to get there they must acknowledge their sins
  • Hooper will not remove the veil for Elizabeth even once so she leaves him; if he removed the veil it would take away its power
  • Hooper's preaching is sombre with the veil on, but it causes the people to face their own sin

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